Inside death row - Documentary analysis

1. Inside death row with Trevor McDonald Documentary analysis

2. Themes • Life in Indiana state maximum security prison • Outlook on life in prison from an inmates perspective • Life on death row Vs Life in a normal prison

3. Narrative Structure • The documentary is observational as the audience follow the lives of people living in and on death row in Indiana security prison. It is classed as an observational documentary as the audience observe the every day lives of people within the prison.

4. Camerawork • Two shot – in most of the interviews a two shot is used to show the audience the reactions of both people in the shot. It creates a connection between the audience and Trevor as they can see him asking questions and his facial expressions from the answers. Two shots are also included in the documentary when Trevor McDonald talks to the inmates from the outside of the cell to put emphasis on the fact the inmates live behind bars and they are trapped, whereas Trevor is not.

5. Camerawork • Establishing shot – Establishing shots are used in the documentary to set the scene and remind the audience of where the documentary is taking place. Some establishing shots in this documentary are taken from a birds eye view so the audience can see all of the prison.

6. Camerawork • Close up – close ups are used in the documentary to show the expression on inmates faces. The audience can tell by their facial expressions how they feel living inside the prison on death row and what life is like there. The close up below has been taken from outside the bars to connote the inmate is trapped and has no escape.

7. Mise-en-scene • Prison cells – these are used within the mise-en-scene of the documentary to show what life is like within the documentary and show what the living conditions are like. • Prison doctors – the doctors within the prison is used to inform the audience that people who are ill in the prison will get help. This gives irony to the documentary and makes the audience question whether what they are doing is right as the prison will be using money to pay for medicine for inmates, however the prison will also be the place where people living on death row will be killed.

8. Mise-en-scene • Prison Barber shop – A prison barber shop has been used within the mise-en-scene of the documentary to educate the audience by showing them what life is like inside the prison and how some inmates work in there.

9. Sound • Digetic and Non Digetic • Non Digetic – Voiceover – A voiceover is used at the start and in other parts of the documentary of Trevor McDonalds voice. At the start it is used to introduce the prison and explain what the documentary will be exploring. • Digetic-Trevor talking to people in cells. He asks the inmates what life is like in prison and on death row, this will educate the audience by showing them what life is like from the inmates perspective. • Non Digetic – A voiceover is used from a news report of someone in the prison who was arrested and put on death row. This reminds the audience that the documentary is based on real peoples lives.

10. Editing • Fast forward – a fast forward is used showing the inmates walking around outside of the prison, this shows the audience the passage of time and put emphasis on the time the inmates spend inside the prison. The camera is also titled up to the sky after this and the audience see the clouds move quickly. This has the same affect, showing the passage of time.

11. Archive material • Pictures of prisoners when they were younger / first arrested – This proves to the audience that the documentary is real as it is based on real peoples lives. It also informs that some of the inmates have spent most of there lives in the prison. The inmates also talk about what life was like before going into prison, this gives the audience an insight into their lives. • Footage of some prisoners when they first got arrested – This also shows the audience that the documentary is based on lives of real people.

12. Graphics • Title of documentary – appears every now and then to make a small break between the scenes in the documentary so the audience don't get bored. After the title is shown the screen slowly fades to black and the title stays on the screen. • Credits – gives information to the audience about who was involved in the making of the documentary.